Kickin' Up Dust
by Ennabelle Mei
Summary: Kantarou suffers from a terminal illness and he struggles to hide it from Haruka. WARNING: Yaoi/Shounen-ai! HarukaxKantarou!


Disclaimer: I don't own _Tactics_.

WARNING: Yaoi/Shounen-ai! HarukaxKantarou Ichinomiya!

**Kickin' Up Dust**

His luscious lips gently grazed my cheeks as he held my diminutive, slender figure against his lanky, slender, yet muscular figure. His wet, silky, raven hair blanketed the middle of his shoulders and back and it smelled of the green tea scented shampoo he used. His charcoal eyes glowed with passion as he stared me right dead in the face and grinned. He caressed my left cheek and his lips met mine in an eager kiss.

When his lips departed from mine, he spoke affectionately. "I love you, Kantarou."

I nodded and stared at him with heavy eyelids. "I love you too, Haruka." _My body feels sluggish. I'm sleepy. _I stifled a yawn. _His arms are warm and gentle. _I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

He chuckled and gently ran his fingers through my bobbed silver hair. "You're adorable."

Early the next morn, the sun not yet risen, I woke to his peaceful snores. A smile spread across my lips as I sat up and listened. I stared into the darkness with a sigh. _This is soothing. _

Beside me, he stirred a little in his sleep.

I climbed out of bed and made my way to the bathroom. The corner of a wall suddenly blocked my path and the force caused me to fall backwards. "Youch, dangit!"

Arms wrapped around my tiny waist and swept me from my feet. "Hey, there. Are you all right?"

My nose throbbed and so did the big toe on my right foot. Even so, I nodded. "Yeah."

He reached into the darkness and felt along the wall for a light switch. "Ha! Here we go!" He flipped the bathroom light on and an affectionate sigh escaped his lips as he rolled his eyes. "Jeez, Kantarou. Please, be more careful."

I laughed. "Yes, sir!"

He gently placed me on my feet and pushed me into the bathroom. "Now, do your beauty stuff in the bathroom, beauty boy."

I turned around and gave him a crooked smile as I placed my hands on my hips. "Ha-ha, very funny!" Chills bolted through me and I felt myself burn all over. My heart skipped inside my chest and began to pound. _Oh, no! _I stuttered words that barely escaped my lips. "A-Ah. Ha."

With a grin, Haruka shut the door and leaned against it, hand on the doorknob. "I'll get breakfast ready."

I stood there, eyes wide as I struggled not to hold my breath. "Oh. Okay." _Oh, why am I in such a fit over him? _I stared at my reflection in the mirror. _Am I not strong enough for romance? _I felt myself drift alone among darkness and a cold heaviness overwhelmed me. _Oh. That's right. I almost forgot. I don't want him to know. What if he abandons me? _My vision blurred and my head spun. _I've got a headache. _My entire body screamed in physical agony and I dropped to my knees. I breathed heavily and coughed weakly. _My body's weak and I'm sleepy. _Tears gathered in my eyes and rolled along my cheeks.

Haruka knocked on the bathroom door. "Hey, Kantarou. Are you almost done?"

_Oh, Haruka. You're probably going to hate me. _I stared into space with heavy eyelids. _I'm sorry. Please, Haruka, I beg your forgiveness. _I closed my eyelids and allowed my body to fall limp against the bathroom floor. I breathed slower.

He opened the door and gasped as his eyes widened. "Kantarou?" He rushed to my side and gently gathered me into his arms. "What's wrong, Kantarou?"

I opened my pale, blue-green eyes the slightest bit and stared up at him. "Har-" I gasped and my eyes widened as pain pierced my chest. My heartbeat slowed.

Tears entered his eyes. "Oh, Kantarou! You never told me anything about this! Why?"

I coughed weakly. _Dang! It tastes like blood! _My heart felt about to explode and my lungs felt about to burst. Inside my mind, I screamed in agony and my body jerked about as if in a battle for breath.

He held me tightly. "Kantarou."

Finally, I let out a choked gasp as I succumbed to a deep sleep.

He blinked. "K-Kantarou?"

Sometime later, I slowly opened my eyes to find myself in the bed we shared, a cold, damp cloth on my forehead. I stared up at him with confusion. "What's this?"

He glared at me. "Oh? You're awake, huh?"

I gulped. _Uh-oh! _"Oh, no! Okay, look. I know I should've told you, but-"

He scolded me. "That's no excuse! Do you realize you've shortened my life many years?"

I stared at the ceiling with a depressed look. "I apologize. I understand if you want to leave me." I heard the bed creak as I felt movement beside me.

"Oh, I cannot believe you just spoke those words to me!" He leaned close and placed his lips upon mine.

_Eeek! EEEK! _The cold, damp cloth fell from my forehead as I reached up and wrapped my arms around his shoulders to bring him down closer to me. Our lips parted as the kiss gained enthusiasm. _I love you so, so much, Haruka! I'll never let you go! _His body pressed against mine, electric chills flashed through me like magic. _I'm not chained to the ground. I feel like I can fly. _My heart pounded like crazy and my body burned. I gasped a shudder.

His lips parted from mine with a chuckle. "Now, now. Don't overdo it, naïve little boy."

I pulled the pillow out from behind my head and placed it between us. "Ha! Awha?" _Oh, shut up! Now, I'm so embarrassed! Jeez, I hate it when you treat me like a little prince!_

He pried the pillow out of my hands. "You're adorable when embarrassed!"

I fought to hide my face. _Oh, my gosh! I'm sure my face is red! _"Shut up!"

He playfully teased me. "Ha-ha! You're all red, Kantarou!"

I shoved my hands into his face. "I mean it, Haruka!" _Enough is enough!_

He sighed as he sat up on the bed beside me. A sad look crossed his face. "About what happened earlier?"

_He looks anxious. _I gently took his hand in mine and smiled. "What about it?" _I know the truth, but he probably just found out. It must be a shock to him. _

Tears emerged from his eyes and rolled along his cheeks. "I called a family member who's a physician and she came over to see what's wrong with you." He sniffled.

_He's trembling. _I nodded and gave his hand a confident squeeze. "Yeah, and what did she say?"

He sobbed. "You're stronger than me! How can this be?"

I sat up and wrapped my arms around him in a hug from the side. "Shhh…It's okay. It was difficult for me to accept at first, too."

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his lap. "Yeah, but I don't want you to leave me!"

_When it's my time to depart, I must depart. _"Oh, don't be silly, Haruka. I'm always here." I placed my head on his chest where his heart is. "I'm always in your heart."

He mussed my hair. "You're rotten, you know that?"

I smiled. "I've lived a good life with you. I've got no regrets. There are some who haven't even been given the chance." _My body weakens. _

"I'd be sad. I'd miss you."

"Focus on the happy times and don't be too sad. It's no good to cry yourself ill."

He raised his eyebrows. "Are you wise beyond your years, or something? You're only twenty."

I laid back down. _I'm sleepy. _A thick, clingy substance moved around inside my chest and I burst into a fit of coughs. Pain pierced my throat with each cough. _It still tastes like blood._

Haruka's Point of View

That night, I spoke to Kantarou for the final time. The circles under his eyes darkened as his skin turned ashen and his eyes took on a glossy appearance. The situation where my lover died of a terminal illness inspired me to study at one of the most prestigious universities in Tokyo in order to become a physician.

THE END


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